Loose-leaf binder.



T. E. HEETER.

LOOSE LEAF BINDER.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.22. 191a.

1,23%,56Q; Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

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(Ill/IllL/lllll/(lllll UNFFED SFATEd PATENT @FFIQE.

THOMAS E. HIl flETER, F SIYLOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO BOORUM & PEASE LOOSE LEAF BOOK COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

Application filed August 22, 1913. Serial No. 786,066.

To all whom it may concern:

' a citizen of the UnitedStates of America,

residing in the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Binders, of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of this invention is to provide improved means for swinging a locking element to and from the binder posts.

Another object is to provide an improved locking element for binder posts.-

Other and further objects will appear in the specification, and be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings exemplifying the invention, and in which,

Figure lis a fragmentaryplan view, of a portion of the top cover, showing this improved device applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of this improved device showing its introduction against a pair of binder posts on a bottom cover before the locking elements have locked against the posts.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section of a portion of this improved device showing one of the locking elements in locking position with one of the binder posts.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken on the line IVIV, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross section taken on the line VV, Fig. 3.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: 1 designates the top cover of a loose leaf binder, said cover havingsecured thereto at der side of the top wall of the housing 4 is a pair of swinging blocks 11, one end of each block being located adjacent the end of each recess 5. Formed in each block, at one end, is a tapering ball seat 12. Each seat has movably mounted therein a ball 13.

Reciprocably mounted on the under side i of the top wall of the housing 4 is a plate 14.

Said plate is held in sliding relation to said wall by a stud 15 formed on a button 16. Sa1d stud is secured to said plate 14, and is mounted in the slot 17 formed in the top wall of said housing. Formed in said plate 14 adjacent each end is a binder post engaging recess 18, and leading from each recess is an inclined surface 19. Leading from each inclined surface 19 is an inclined sur-.

face 20, said surfaces 20 being inclined oppositely to the surfaces 19. Formed in said plate 14 is a cut-away portion 21 in which is mounted a coil spring 22. One end of said spring is adapted to bear against said plate 14, and the other end against a depending portion 23 formed from the top wall of the housing 4.

In the operation of this improved device, when it is desired to secure the top cover 1 to the binder posts 7 as shown in Fig. 2, said posts are engaged by the recesses 5 and 6, the reciprocating plate, of course, being previously moved to one side, as shown, by the engagement of the posts 7 against the inclined surfaces 26 of the plate 14. It is to be noted that the position of the posts 7 is in approximate alinement with the pivots 10 of the blocks 11. I

The spring 22, hearing against the plate 14 and depending portion 23 of the housing 4,. will move said plate until the recesses 18 engage the posts 7. During this direction of movement of said plate 14,

the inclined engaging portions 24 of each block 11 will be engaged by the inclined surfaces 18. Assaid portions 24 ride on said surfaces, the blocks 11 are turned and the balls 13 are movedinto approximate alinement with said posts 7 and pivots 10. As the loose leaves A, which have been mounted on theposts 7 have a tendency toward giving an upward pressure to the-top cover 1, the balls 18 will travel downwardly in their respective tapering seats 12, thus gripping the posts 7 securely (as shown in Fig. 8) through the opening 27 formed in each tapering seat 12.

In removing the top cover 1, when the plate 13 is moved in the opposite direction by engaging the button 16 of the stud 15, the angular engaging portion 25 of each block 11 will ride on each inclined surface 20 of said plate 14, thus causing the blocks 11 to turn on their respective pivots 10 so the balls 13 will be moved outwardly from the posts 7, Y

What I claim is z 1. A clutch comprising a binder member, a post to be engaged by said member, a pivotally mounted block carried by said member adapted to swing transversely of said post, and a ball carried by said block adapted to engage and grip said post.

2. In a loose leaf binder, posts therefor, a binder member for engagement with said posts, swinging blbcks carried by said member, a tapering seat'formedin each ofsaid blocks, a ball located in each seat, and means for swinging said blocks so said balls will engage said posts.

3. In a loose leaf'binder, a pair of posts, a' binder member for'engagement with said "posts, a pair of swinging blocks secured to said member, a tapering seat formed in one end ofeach of said blocks, a ball located in each ofsaidseats, each of said balls adapted to protrude from their respective seats, and 'fn'eans for s'wlnging said blocks so said balls willengage said posts.

' 4;In a loose leaf binder, a p pp t a post mounted L on said support, a binder member adapted to be mounted on saldpost,

a lockingelement comprising a swinging y y "by said member, and areciproc'atingplate having inclined surfaces formed thereon adapted to "swing saidblocl: toward and away from said post so that sald ball wlll block having a ball seatedtherein carried engage and disengage said post.

'5. In a "looseleaf binder, posts therefor,

a binder memberforengagement with said "posts, a lbcklng elementcomprls'ing a P2111 of swinging blocks each having a'tapering seat formed therein, aball located in each seat adapted to protrude therefrom, a reciprocat0ry plate having inclined faces fornied' thereon,one pair of said inclined "jfaces adapted to move said blocks toward said posts, and another pair of said inclined faces adapted to move said blocks from said posts so said balls will engage and disen- "gage said posts.

, 6. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of posts, a binder member adapted to be mounted on said posts, a 'reciprocatory plate, with a pair of oppositelyinclined faces formed adjacent eachend of said plate, a pair of piv- 5 otally mounted blocks adapted tobe oper- "ated ioti'by said inclined faces, a tapering seat formed ineach of said blocks, a ball carried byeach' of said seats, said balls adapted to be engaged against said posts,

whensaid' blocks are engagedby one of 1 I I e'achof said pairs of inclined faces of said plate when said plate is moved in'one di- "rection', said balls adapted to be disengaged blocks.

seats formed therein located adjacent said plate, a ball located in' said seat,one p'airof said surfaces having 'the same inclination adapted to engageoneend'of said blocks when said plate ismoved in one direction, the other pair of said surfaces adapted to engagethe other end of said blocks when said plate is moved "in an opposite direction, said surfaces forming' means'bf engaging and disengaging said ballsto and from a pair of binder posts when said plate is reciprocated, said 'recesse's adapted to engage said posts simultaneously with said balls.

.-8.'Ii1 a lockingdevice a 'binde'r member,

apos't-tobeengaged by said'inember, a pivotally mounted block carried by said member adaptedto swing transverselyfof said post, aball carried by-s'aidblock adapted to engage said post, and-a""reciprocably 9. A loose leafbiiider comprising posts, binder member for said posts, pivotally mounted blocks "thereon adapted to swing transversely'of said posts, anda reciprocably mounted plate adaptedto actuate said 10. Aloose leafbindercomprising posts, a binder member for said posts, pivotally mounted blocks thereon adapted toswing transversely of said posts, a reciprocably mounted plate adaptedto actuate said blocks, and a: ball carried by each of" said blocks "adapted to engage said posts.

11. In lbckirig device, a post, binder memberfo'r engagement-with saidpost, a swingingly mounted block carried by said member, aball carried by saidblochahd a reciprocably mounted plate for actuating said block, said plate when moved inone 'direction adaptedto engage and move one "end of said block, and whenmoved intheopposite direction adapted to engage and move the opposite end ofsaid block. y i V y THOMAS .E; HEETER. In the presence of -M. C. HAMMON, H. G. FLETCHER.

Washington, D. G.

mounted me'mberfor actuating said block. 5

i cdbis' (if this pateirtmay be dbtai'ned for five cents each, by addressing the commis ioner a: 13mm, 

